Tony Awards won’t be picketed by striking writers because organizers are ‘altering’ the show

Tony Awards organizers and the Writers Guild of America struck harmony that could allow a version of the Broadway-celebrating ceremony to move forward, the Hollywood union said.

The striking guild doesn’t plan to picket the June 11 event at upper Manhattan’s United Palace because Tony organizers “are altering this year’s show to conform with specific requests from the WGA,” according to a statement by the union.

The announcement comes days after the union said it wouldn’t agree to a waiver for the Tony’s — a point it referenced again in its latest statement.

The Tony Awards haven’t publicly commented on the guild’s promise not to picket, nor have organizers said what the show would look like if the writers strike continues. In 1988, the Tonys navigated a writers walkout by filling the show with live performances and unscripted dialogue from its host, Angela Lansbury, and presenters.

The current strike began in early May after months of negotiations failed to result in a deal. Much of the disagreement centers on royalties for projects that appear on streaming services. The strike has paused new episodes of late-night shows and led to delays among scripted projects.

It’s the first Hollywood strike since 2007-08, which also involved the Writers Guild. The WGA represents more than 11,000 entertainment writers — including some for the Tonys broadcast.

Oscar-winning “West Side Story” star Ariana DeBose is slated for a second consecutive year to host the Tonys, which move to the famed theater in Washington Heights for the first time.

The musical “Some Like It Hot” leads all shows with 13 nominations, while “& Juliet,” “Shucked,” “New York, New York,” Kimberly Akimbo and “Sweeney Todd” are also among the top contenders.

With News Wire Services